Queer Lives Today (Short Docs) (UK)

"Queer Lives Today" is a series of diverse documentaries that offer intimate glimpses into the LGBTQ+ community. The series explores the journeys of individuals navigating various aspects of their identities, from sports to adoption to the pursuit of personal expression, all while highlighting resilience and the challenges they face. Commissioned to create 20-minute documentaries, these were telecast on British TV in 2022. The films narrate the tale of a trans boxer campaigning for the right to fight, Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen gender affirmation surgery journey and the struggles of two gay dads undergoing the adoption process.

Always, Asifa

As Asifa prepares to finally undergo gender affirmation surgery, the disabled trans activist, who is also Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen, reflects on how her life has - and hasn’t - changed during her transition. With Asifa having featured previously in documentaries on Channel 4 and the director, Shiva Raichandani, having reached the semi-finals of the 2017 edition of Britain’s Got Talent with the London School of Bollywood, there is an abundance of flair and creative pedigree to show these two really can talk the talk, and walk the walk.

Come Out Fighting

Jill, a gay trans man, prepares mentally and physically to step into the ring for his next boxing bout- finding strength in an emerging LGBTQ+ fight community to square up to old attitudes and challenge a current ban on trans boxers. This knockout documentary provides a ringside seat to the intimate journey of a trans athlete, at a time when trans access to sport makes headlines worldwide.

Love, Dad & Daddy

Following a painful adoption journey which comes to an abrupt halt, Hollyoaks star Ross Adams explores what can be done to make the system easier for LGBTQ+ adopters. Can he find the strength to go through the process again? In a system where resilience is essential, “Love, Dad and Daddy” sees Ross talking to other adopters in a deeply cathartic personal quest to rediscover his.

Quick and easy watch and it provides an interesting insight of the various spectrums and issues that the vast spectrum of LGBTQ+ folks face. (5/10)

Comments

Sei no Gekiyaku (Japanese) [Dangerous Drugs of Sex]

Every person has their own unique way of dealing with loss. This film is as much a psychological thriller as it is a soft porn BDSM portrayal of two young men that makes the film overall horrifying as well as humane. It is really hard to describe the genre of this film in one word. Its important not that the film has some really disturbing scenes so if you go into seeing this film, please proceed with caution. Although any sexual non-consensual activity is not ok, this film has its won strange way of showing that suicide is not the only solution to all life's problems. Makoto is a regular office goer, who just finds out that his girlfriend is probably cheating on him. ON top of it, his parents sudden death coming back from a trip that he forced them to take, he gets completely dejected and decides to commit suicide. Unknown to him, he is saved by mysterious man Yoda Ryoji, and he wakes up finding himself tied up in leather and belts in a very BDSM setting. This mysterious saver soo...

Drug Shore (Chinese)

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The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin...

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